Wednesday, March 2, 2016

Saint Chad (Caedda), bishop of Mercia (Lichfield)

St. Chad was the youngest of four
brothers, Cedd, Cynebil, Celin and Chad, all eminent priests born of noble
parents in Northumbria around AD 623. Bede tells us that St. Chad, along with
his elder brothers, was a pupil of St. Aidan at his Lindisfarne school. The
bishop required the young men who studied with him to spend much time reading
Holy Scripture and learning, by heart, large portions of the Psalter.

Upon the death of St. Aidan, in
AD 651, the four young men went to Ireland to complete their training. Whilst
there, Chad met Egbert, later Abbot of Iona. Meanwhile, Chad's brother, Cedd,
had returned to England and evangelised the East Saxons. In AD 658, at the
request of King Aethelwald of Deira, he built a monastery at Lastingham on the
North York Moors. Though often absent, he frequently returned there from his
London diocese and, at a time of the AD 664 plague, he died there. Upon his
death-bed, Cedd bequeathed the care of the monastery to his brother, Chad.

On his return, St. Chad ruled the
Lastingham Abbey with great care and prudence, and received all who sought his
hospitality with kindness and humility. However, he arrived in Northumbria
during a period of religious change and political upheaval. When the Synod of
Whitby rejected the ways of the Irish Church in favour of those of Rome, the
Northern diocese quickly found itself short of a Bishop. Eventually, the
pro-Roman St. Wilfred was given the Northumbrian Bishopric which he transferred
to York. Arrogant to the last, he insisted on being consecrated by true
followers of the Roman rule, at that time only to be found in France and so was
absent some months.

The following year (AD 665),
while St. Wilfred was still abroad, King Oswiu of Northumbria became impatient
for some religious guidance in his kingdom and St. Chad was duly consecrated
Bishop of York in Dorchester Cathedral.

He travelled about his new
diocese on foot, preaching the gospel, according to the example of both St.
Aidan and his late brother, Cedd. Wilfred returned to England in AD 666 and
quietly retired to his Abbey at Ripon. Three years later, Theodore of Tarsus, a
new Archbishop arrived in Canterbury. He charged Chad with holding an
uncanonical office and the northern prelate humbly replied that if this were
true, he would willingly resign for he never thought himself worthy of the
position and had consented out duty. Theodore was so moved that he completed
Chad's ordination himself. Chad still preferred to resign in favour of Wilfred
and retired to Lastingham. Though Chad was Bishop of York for so short a time,
he left his mark on the affections of the people and at least one chantry was
dedicated in his name at York Minster.

The King of Mercia gave him land
for a monastery at Lichfield. Chad travelled great distances and carried out
much pastoral work. He was devout, humble and laid much emphasis on prayer and
study of the scriptures.

His exploits were known
throughout all Mercia, St. Chad was known to have retired, from time to time,
to the bottom of a small well where he could contemplate and "pray without
ceasing." The people would say that they knew when St. Chad was in his
well, "a light like that of the sun, would shine from the bottom of the
well." St. Chad was seen in the uncreated light by countless many. His
humble prayers could easily cure illnesses and demonic possession. A gifted man
of prayer he was also a source of forgiveness even to those who would seek his
destruction.

King Wulfere was a pagan, but
also a good statesman. He used Christianity to control his subjects, he
secretly despised the Faith. One day, the sons of Wulfere, Princes Wulfade and
Ruffin were out hunting a dear near the saint's cell, when they approached the
saint and asked about "the One called Jesus". So struck by the holy
elder's words they both asked to be immediately baptised into Christ's holy
Church. Wulfere, so enraged by the actions of his sons, killed them with his
own hands. Afterwards, filled with such remorse the King suffered in both body
and spirit by the loss of his children. He was counselled by his queen to ask
the holy elder to forgive him and to hear his confession. As he approached the
holy hierarch's cell he was witness to a great sight, the uncreated light of
Tabor that shown upon the saint's visage. The king fell down in prostrate and
begged his forgiveness and to truly bring him into the Orthodox Christian
faith. As a penance for the murder of his children, the saint told him to build
churches and monasteries in the name of Jesus Christ. He did so, and up until
the end of the saint's earthly life, King Wulfere remained a humble servant of
the holy elder.

Owini, a novice monk under St.
Chad's care, was working alone in the fields near Chad's residence. When he
heard the sound of singing, apparently descending from the sky to the rectory
where the saint was praying. The angelic chanting could be heard for half an
hour before returning heavenwards. Chad then summoned his monks and, after
urging them to live good Christian lives and to continue in keeping the rules
of monastic discipline, announced that he would soon die. When the other
fathers had gone away, Owini returned to Chad and begged to know what the
singing had been that he had heard. St. Chad replied that he had been visited
by angelic hosts summoning him to heaven and that the angels would return in
seven days to take him to heaven. He then commanded the young monk to tell no
one of this until after his death.

Bede goes on to tell us that he
was called "saint" immediately after his death. Miracles and cures of
all ailments occurred at the place of his death, his reliquary, his well and
anywhere his holy relics travelled. He died in 672 on the 2nd of March. Chad
was buried at the Church of St Mary, which later became part of Lichfield
Cathedral. His feast day is on 2nd March.[1]

About Me

I have studied Theology at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Theology, International Relations at the University of London (Queen Mary). My Master's Thesis was published as a book: 'The Aegean Sea Dispute Between Greece and Turkey - The Consequences for NATO and the EU'. For more information see: http://www.akakia.net/el/the-aegean-sea-dispute-between-greece-and-turkey
I have also studied Byzantine Music in Athens and I am currently undertaking a research on the “Fellowship of St. Alban and St. Sergius and its contribution towards Anglican – Orthodox Relations”, at the University of Winchester.
I also represent the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain at the A.E.C.A. If you wish to contact me you can email me: demetrifs1@yahoo.com